Method and device for supplying treatment products to a compartment, particularly a washing machine compartment

Abstract

A method and a device for supplying doses of various treatment products to at least one compartment of a processing machine, in particular a compartment (2) of a washing machine (1) using doses of various liquid textile treating products (8). Each product is supplied by means of a separate transfer device (17), and the machine goes through an operating procedure which involves generating a single control signal at predetermined times in the course of the treatment, combining the series of identical control signals with a selective transfer device (17) control program, and selectively controlling, according to the program, the transfer device as the control signals appear during the machine's operating procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for supplying at least one compartment of at least one treatment machine with doses of various treatment products, wherein the treatment machine undergoes an independent treatment operating process, said method comprising the steps of: providing the machine with separate transfer means for respectively transferring the products to the compartment, each transfer means including a pump means and a volumetric metering means;   memorizing a program selectively associating the transfer means and volumetric quantities of the corresponding products with a sequence of control signals;   generating the sequence of control signals which are identical each time and which appear at predetermined periods during said treatment operating process;   and, along the treatment operating process, successively controlling, in accordance with said program, said transfer means as the control signals are generated, wherein the controlling of the transfer means of each product to be supplied includes the steps of starting the corresponding pump means at a detection of the associated control signal, measuring the volume of the product to be supplied with the corresponding volumetric metering means, comparing the measured volume with the memorized volumetric quantity of the product, and stopping said corresponding pump means when the measured volume is equal to the volumetric quantity of the product as predetermined by said program.   
     
     
       2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively controlling said transfer means includes the step of selectively controlling said transfer means with respect to aid sequence of identical control signals based on a plurality of programs, selecting one of said plurality of programs, and selectively controlling, in accordance with a chosen program, said corresponding transfer means as said control signals are generated. 
     
     
       3. The method as set forth in claim 1 or 2, further comprising the steps of counting said control signals and memorizing the counted number of said control signals which have appeared since a start of said treatment operating process of said treatment machine, wherein the treatment can be continued if it has been stopped. 
     
     
       4. A supply device for supplying at least one compartment of a treatment machine with doses of various treatment products, said machine having an independent treatment operating process, said device comprising: separate transfer means for respectively transferring the products to the compartment, each transfer means including a pump means;   means for memorizing a program for selective control of said transfer means with regard to a sequence of control signals and for memorizing volumetric quantities of respective products;   means for generating, successively as said sequence of control signals, a control signal at predetermined periods during the treatment operating process of said treatment machine;   control means connected to said generating means and said memorizing means, said control means selectively controlling a starting and a stopping of said transfer means in accordance to said program having been memorized,   each of said transfer means further including a volumetric metering means for measuring the volume of product being supplied, said volumetric metering means being connected to said control means, and said control means further including comparing means for comparing the volume supplied and the volume memorized and generating a signal for stopping said transfer means.   
     
     
       5. Device as claimed in claim 4, characterized by the fact that it comprises programming means (31) serving to create the programs for selective control of the transfer means and to fix the volumetric quantities of treatment products to be supplied. 
     
     
       6. Device as claimed in claim 4, characterized by the fact that said checking means is a flow meter. 
     
     
       7. Device as claimed in claim 4, characterized by the fact that the means for control of the operating process of the machine comprise a punched tape (4), said means for generating a control signal comprising means (28) for detection of perforations made in said tape and arranged in aligned manner (30) in the direction in which this tape runs past. 
     
     
       8. Device as claimed in claim 4, characterized by the fact that the means for control of the operating process of the machine comprise a programmed automaton. 
     
     
       9. The supply device as set froth in claim 4, wherein said memorizing means memorizes a plurality of control programs, said memorizing means further including selection means for selecting one of said plurality of control programs. 
     
     
       10. The supply device as set forth in claim 4, further comprising counting means for counting the number of generated control signals, and memorizing means for memorizing the number of control signals generated since a start of an operating process of said treatment machine, said counting means and said memorizing means being connected to said program memorizing means and to said control means.